Victims must be without blemish. Idolaters are to be slain. Controversies are to be decided by the high priest and council, whose sentence must be obeyed under pain of death. The duty of a king, who is to receive the law of God at the priest’s hands.
Perfect hostes, not mamed nor defectiue, must be offered to God, Idolaters stoned to death. 8. VVhen inferior iudges differ, the cause must be decided, by the High Priest in consistorie. Who is warranted not to erre therin, and al are bound to obey his sentence. 14. The dutie also of a king (Whom in future time God wil condescend to geue them) is described, with special charge to receiue the law of God at the Priestes handes.
1Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an abomination to the Lord thy God.Non immolerai al Signore Dio tuo una pecora, o un bue, che abbia qualche macchia, o difetto: perché è cosa abbominevole agli occhi del Signore Dio tuo.THOV shalt not immolate to our Lord thy God a sheepe, and an oxe, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: because it is abomination to our Lord thy God.Non immolabis Domino Deo tuo ovem, et bovem, in quo est macula, aut quippiam vitii: quia abominatio est Domino Deo tuo. 2When there shall be found among you within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God shall give thee, man or woman that do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, and transgress his covenant,Quando si troverà presso di te, dentro una delle tue città date a te dal Signore Dio tuo, o uomo, o donna, che facciano il male al cospetto del Signor Dio tuo, e trasgrediscano il suo patto,When there shal be found with thee within one of thy gates, which our Lord thy God shal geue thee, man or woman that do euil in the sight of our Lord thy God, and transgresse his couenant,Cum reperti fuerint apud te intra unam portarum tuarum, quas Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi, vir aut mulier qui faciant malum in conspectu Domini Dei tui, et transgrediantur pactum illius, 3So as to go and serve strange gods, and adore them, the sun and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which I have not commanded:E vadano a servire agli dei stranieri, e gli adorino, il sole, la luna, e tutta la milizia del cielo, che io non ho comandato:that they goe and serue strange goddes, and adore them, the sunne and the moone, and al the hoste of heauen, which thinges I commanded not:ut vadant et servant diis alienis, et adorent eos, solem et lunam, et omnem militiam cæli, quæ non præcepi: 4And this is told thee, and hearing it thou hast inquired diligently, and found it to be true, and that the abomination is committed in Israel:Ove ciò sia a te riferito, e avrai fatto diligente ricerca sopra quello che hai udito, e avrai trovato che è la verità, e che tale abbominazione è stata fatta in Israele:and this is told thee, and hearing it thou hast inquired diligently, and found it to be true, and the abomination is committed in Israel:et hoc tibi fuerit nuntiatum, audiensque inquisieris diligenter et verum esse repereris, et abominatio facta est in Israël: 5Thou shalt bring forth the man or the woman, who have committed that most wicked thing, to the gates of thy city, and they shall be stoned.Condurrai l'uomo, e la donna, che han fatta cosa sì scellerata, alle porte della tua città, e saran sepolti sotto le pietre.thou shalt bring forth the man and the woman, that haue committed that most heynous thing, to the gates of thy citie, and they shal be stoned.educes virum ac mulierem, qui rem sceleratissimam perpetrarunt, ad portas civitatis tuæ, et lapidibus obruentur.
6By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he die that is to be slain. Let no man be put to death, when only one beareth witness against him.Sul deposto di due, o di tre testimoni perirà colui che è degno di morte. Nissuno sarà ucciso quando un solo testimonio parla contro di lui.At the mouth of two, or three witnesses shal he perish that is to be slaine. Let no man be killed, one onlie geuing testimonie against him.In ore duorum aut trium testium peribit qui interficietur. Nemo occidatur, uno contra se dicente testimonium. 7The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to kill him, and afterwards the hands of the rest of the people: that thou mayst take away the evil out of the midst of thee.I testimoni saranno i primi a dar di mano ad uccidergli, e all'ultimo vi darà mano tutto il resto del popolo, affin di togliere il male dalla tua società.The hand of the witnesses shal be first to kil him, and the hand of the rest of the people shal be layd on last: that thou mayest take away the euil out of the middes of thee.Manus testium prima interficiet eum, et manus reliqui populi extrema mittetur: ut auferas malum de medio tui. 8If thou perceive that there be among you a hard and doubtful matter in judgment between blood and blood, cause and cause, leprosy and leprosy: and thou see that the words of the judges within thy gates do vary: arise, and go up to the place, which the Lord thy God shall choose.Se in qualche negozio, che pende dinanzi a te, vedrai della difficoltà, e ambiguità tra sangue e sangue, tra causa e causa, tra lebbra e lebbra: e vedrai, che varii sono i sentimenti de' giudici della tua città, partiti, e va' al luogo eletto dal Signore Dio tuo,If thou perceiue that the iudgement with thee be hard and doubtful betwen bloud and bloud, cause and cause, leprosie and not leprosie: and thou see that the wordes of the iudges within thy gates doe varye: arise, and goe vp to the place, which our Lord thy God shal choose.Si difficile et ambiguum apud te judicium esse perspexeris inter sanguinem et sanguinem, causam et causam, lepram et lepram: et judicum intra portas tuas videris verba variari: surge, et ascende ad locum, quem elegerit Dominus Deus tuus. 9And thou shalt come to the priests of the Levitical race, and to the judge, that shall be at that time: and thou shalt ask of them, and they shall shew thee the truth of the judgment.E ti porterai da' sacerdoti della stirpe di Levi, e dal giudice, che risiederà in quel tempo: e li consulterai, ed eglino ti faranno scorta a giudicare secondo la verità.And thou shalt come to the priestes of the Leuitical stocke, and to the iudge, that shal be at that time: and thou shalt aske of them, who shal shew thee the truth of the iudgment.Veniesque ad sacerdotes Levitici generis, et ad judicem qui fuerit illo tempore: quæresque ab eis, qui indicabunt tibi judicii veritatem.
10And thou shalt do whatsoever they shall say, that preside in the place, which the Lord shall choose, and what they shall teach thee,E tu farai tutto quel che ti avran detto quelli che presiedono nel luogo eletto dal Signore, e quel che ti avranno insegnatoAnd thou shalt do whatsoeuer they, that are presidentes of the place, which our Lord shal choose, shal say and teach thee,Et facies quodcumque dixerint qui præsunt loco quem elegerit Dominus, et docuerint te 11According to his law; and thou shalt follow their sentence: neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand.Secondo la legge di lui: e seguirai il loro parere: e non torcerai a destra, né a sinistra.according to his law; and thou shalt folow their sentence: neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand.juxta legem ejus, sequerisque sententiam eorum, nec declinabis ad dexteram neque ad sinistram. 12But he that will be proud, and refuse to obey the commandment of the priest, who ministereth at that time to the Lord thy God, and the decree of the judge, that man shall die, and thou shalt take away the evil from Israel:Chi poi si leverà in superbia, e non vorrà obbedire al comando del sacerdote che è in quel tempo il ministro del Signore Dio tuo, né al decreto del giudice; costui sarà messo a morte, e toglierai il male da Israele.But he that shal be proude, refusing to obey the commandement of the Priest, which at that time ministreth to our Lord thy God, and the decree of the iudge, that man shal die, and thou shalt take away the euil out of Israel:Qui autem superbierit, nolens obedire sacerdotis imperio, qui eo tempore ministrat Domino Deo tuo, et decreto judicis, morietur homo ille, et auferes malum de Israël: 13And all the people hearing it shall fear, that no one afterwards swell with pride.E tutto il popolo all'udire tal cosa ne concepirà timore, affinché nissuno in appresso si levi in superbia.and the whole people hearing shal feare, that none afterward swel in pride.cunctusque populus audiens timebit, ut nullus deinceps intumescat superbia. 14When thou art come into the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee, and possessest it, and shalt say: I will set a king over me, as all nations have that are round about:Quando tu sarai entrato nella terra, che sarà data a te dal Signore Dio tuo, e ne sarai in possesso, e l'abiterai, e dirai: Io mi creerò un re, come lo hanno le altre nazioni circonvicine:When thou art entred the Land, which our Lord thy God wil geue thee, and doest possesse it, and dwellest in it, and sayest: I wil sette a king ouer me, as al nations haue round about:Cum ingressus fueris terram, quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi, et possederis eam, habitaverisque in illa, et dixeris: Constituam super me regem, sicut habent omnes per circuitum nationes:
15Thou shalt set him whom the Lord thy God shall choose out of the number of thy brethren. Thou mayst not make a man of another nation king, that is not thy brother.Creerai quello che sarà stato eletto dal Signore Dio tuo del numero de' tuoi fratelli. Non potrai alzare al regno un uomo d'altra nazione, e che non sia tuo fratello.him shalt thou sette, whom our Lord thy God shal choose of the number of thy brethren. A man of an other nation that is not thy brother, thou canst not make king.eum constitues, quem Dominus Deus tuus elegerit de numero fratrum tuorum. Non poteris alterius gentis hominem regem facere, qui non sit frater tuus. 16And when he is made king, he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor lead back the people into Egypt, being lifted up with the number of his horsemen, especially since the Lord hath commanded you to return no more the same way.E quando egli sarà stato messo in possesso, non raunerà moltitudine di cavalli, e non ricondurrà il popolo in Egitto, fatto ardito pella molta sua cavalleria, avendovi particolarmente comandato il Signore di non tornare mai più a battere quelle strade.And when he is made, he shal not multiplie to him selfe horses, nor lead backe the people into Aegypt, taking high courage for the number of his horsemen, especially whereas our Lord hath commanded you that in no case you returne any more the same way.Cumque fuerit constitutus, non multiplicabit sibi equos, nec reducet populum in Ægyptum, equitatus numero sublevatus, præsertim cum Dominus præceperit vobis ut nequaquam amplius per eamdem viam revertamini. 17He shall not have many wives, that may allure his mind, nor immense sums of silver and gold.Non avrà gran numero di mogli, le quali lo facciano traviare, né immensa quantità d'oro, e di argento.He shal not haue manie wiues, that may allure his minde, nor huge weightes of siluer and gold.Non habebit uxores plurimas, quæ alliciant animum ejus, neque argenti et auri immensa pondera. 18But after he is raised to the throne of his kingdom, he shall copy out to himself the Deuteronomy of this law in a volume, taking the copy of the priests of the Levitical tribe,E quando ei si sarà assiso sul suo trono reale, egli scriverà per suo uso un doppio esemplare di questa legge in un volume, copiandola dall'originale datogli dai sacerdoti della tribù di Levi:And after he shal sitte in the throne of his kingdome, he shal copie to him selfe the Deuteronomie of this Law in a volume, taking the copie of the priestes of the Leuitical tribe,Postquam autem sederit in solio regni sui, describet sibi Deuteronomium legis hujus in volumine, accipiens exemplar a sacerdotibus Leviticæ tribus, 19And he shall have it with him, and shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and keep his words and ceremonies, that are commanded in the law;E lo terrà presso di se, e lo leggerà tutti i giorni della sua vita, affinché impari a temere il Signore Dio suo, e ad osservare le sue parole, e le sue cerimonie comandate nella legge:and he shal haue it with him, and shal reade it al the dayes of his life, that he may learne to feare our Lord his God, and keepe his wordes and ceremonies, that are commanded in the law.et habebit secum, legetque illud omnibus diebus vitæ suæ, ut discat timere Dominum Deum suum, et custodire verba et cæremonias ejus, quæ in lege præcepta sunt.
20And that his heart be not lifted up with pride over his brethren, nor decline to the right or to the left, that he and his sons may reign a long time over Israel.Affinché il suo cuore non si levi in superbia contro de' suoi fratelli, ed egli non pieghi a destra, né a sinistra, affinché regni per molto tempo egli, e i suoi figliuoli sopra Israele.And that his hart be not lifted vp into pride ouer his brethren, nor decline to the right side or the left side, that he may reigne a long time, and his sonnes ouer Israel.Nec elevetur cor ejus in superbiam super fratres suos, neque declinet in partem dexteram vel sinistram, ut longo tempore regnet ipse et filii ejus super Israël.
17:1
Year of the World 2553.
17:2
17:3
Challoner
The host of heaven. That is, the stars. (Challoner)
Haydock
This species of idolatry was the most ancient and common in the East. Job (xxxi. 26, 28) takes notice of the adoration of the sun and of the moon, and calls it a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God. He lived in Arabia, and probably not far from the place where Moses was addressing the Israelites. (Haydock)
The pagans looked upon the sun and moon as the king and queen of heaven, and the stars as their guards. Plato says (in Phaedro) that "the sun marches at the head of the gods, in a winged chariot, and the eleven other gods lead on their bands of demons," or the stars, etc.
17:5
Selden
Stoned, not far from the gates, where they received sentence. Thus the sabbath-breaker was stoned without the camp, (Numbers 15:35,) and St. Stephen out of the city of Jerusalem, Acts 7:57. When only a few were concerned, the twenty-three judges passed sentence: but if a whole tribe had been guilty, the cognizance of the affair was left to the Sanhedrim. When a city was infected with this abomination, it was wholly destroyed. But no one was punished, except two witnesses (ver. 6,) attested that formal idolatry, by sacrifice, etc., had been committed. (Selden, Syned. 3:4.)
17:6
Slain. When the action was public, this formality was not requisite, Deuteronomy 13:9.
Ap. Selden
Him. One witness was never admitted to prove any crime; neither would the Jews receive for witnesses, women, infants under thirteen, slaves, publicans, thieves, etc. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] 4:last chapter.) The Rabbins also reject other notorious offenders, enemies, relations, and those who had not a competent knowledge of the law, etc. (Ap. Selden, Syn. 2:13. 11.; and Grotius)
Calmet
But we could wish for some authors of more credit. (Calmet)
17:7
Calmet
Kill him. Thus testifying that they approve the sentence, and are willing that his blood should be required at their hands, if they had accused him falsely. The criminal was hurled down a precipice by one of the witnesses, and, if he survived, he was stoned by the other, and by the whole people. Maimonides asserts, that the execution took place on some great festival, for the terror and instruction of the multitude; but others call this in question. (Fagius) (Calmet)
17:8
Challoner
If thou perceive, etc. Here we see what authority God was pleased to give to the church-guides of the Old Testament, in deciding, without appeal, all controversies relating to the law; promising that they should not err therein; and punishing with death such as proudly refused to obey their decisions: and surely he has not done less for the church-guides of the New Testament. (Challoner)
Haydock
Hard. Hebrew also means, "doubtful, hidden, divided;" so that the opinions of the judges do not agree. In matters of fact, the thing is more easily investigated on the spot. But in these cases, where the law is ambiguous, as even the divine ordinances frequently are, being delivered in human language, (Grotius) a living judge is necessary. God remits the Jews in the council of the priests, at the head of whom was the sovereign pontiff, who was the natural and supreme judge of such difficulties, ver. 9, 12. (Haydock)
Calmet
And blood, to decide when murder must be punished with death, and when the right of an asylum may be claimed. (Calmet)
The Vulgate renders the same words, 2 Paralipomenon 19:10.
Tirinus
Between kindred and kindred, as the different degrees cause many embarrassments, with regard to marriages, etc. (Tirinus)
Lyranus
The Rabbins understand that the judge had to declare when a woman was rendered unclean, Leviticus 12:4. (Lyranus)
And cause, or lawsuit; some thinking that a greater sum for reparation of an injury should be required, others judging that one of the contending parties should be set at liberty, while the other judges are of a contrary sentiment. Hebrew, "between judgment and judgment," when a doubt arises whether laymen or the Levites may be the proper judges. The Rabbins only remit three cases to the tribunal of the latter, respecting, 1. The red heifer; 2. the woman accused of adultery by her jealous husband; 3. the heifer to be offered in sacrifice, for a murder committed by a person unknown, Deuteronomy 21:5.
Jansenius
And leprosy. Various difficulties might arise concerning this matter, of which the priests had to pass sentence, Leviticus xiii. Some render the Hebrew negah, "wound." The law of retaliation required a scrupulous nicety. Blood, cause, and leprosy, may denote lawsuits of a criminal, less important, and ceremonial nature. (Jansenius)
Vary. Hebrew, "which are matters of contention within thy gates."
17:9
Calmet
Judge. Moses does not specify whether the contending parties, or the judges themselves thought proper to have the matter debated before a higher court. The Rabbins observe, that appeals to the Sanhedrim were only the last resort, and that the sentence of that tribunal was to be complied with under pain of death, ver. 12. (Selden, Syned. 3:2. 2.) The judge here mentioned, according to them and the generality of commentators, after Josephus, Philo, etc., is no other than the high priest, as the Scripture plainly indicates, Deuteronomy 21:5., and Ezechiel 44:24. He abode near the tabernacle, and God enabled him to explain the law, when he was arrayed with the ephod, and the Urim and Thummim. Some moderns, who have an interest to lessen the authority of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, with Calvin, Ainsworth, etc., pretend that an appeal was to be made to the priests, in disputes which concerned religion, and to the civil magistrate in other cases, 2 Paralipomenon 19:5. (Calmet)
Haydock
But an appeal to the high priest, in doubtful cases, could not be denied. The government of the Jews was a theocracy, and the pontiff acted as the vicegerent of God. (Haydock)
17:10
Worthington
Preside. The high priests who are to succeed each other. (Worthington)
17:11
Haydock
According, etc. This law was to be the rule of the priests, in passing sentence. It was not left to the judgment of individuals to comply or not, according as they might explain the law for themselves. Such a proceeding would be nugatory, as they would thus be themselves the ultimate judges of their own cause. (Haydock)
Worthington
They shall seek the law at his (the priest's) mouth, Malachias 2:7. Protestants make, therefore, a very frivolous restriction, when they allow his sentence to bind only "so long as he is the true minister of God, and pronounceth according to his word." (Bible, 1603.) (Worthington)
Haydock
If any had been proud enough among the Jews, to persuade himself that he understood the law better than the high priest, he would not on that account have escaped death. (Haydock)
Haydock
The authority of the Christian Church is not inferior to that of the Synagogue, only, "instead of death, excommunication is now inflicted" on the rebellious. (St. Gregory, Matthew 18:17.; St. Augustine, q. 38.) In effect, St. Paul assures us that the priests of the law, serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. But now he (Christ)...is the mediator of the better covenant, which is established on better promises, Hebrews 8:5, 6. If therefore the privilege of deciding points of faith and morality, without danger of mistake, was granted to the synagogue, can any one doubt but that Christ would provide as ample a security for his Church, with which he has promised to remain for ever, and with his Holy Spirit to teach her all the truth? (Haydock)
Haydock
St. Augustine dwells upon this argument (Doct. 4.) and proves the infallibility both of the Jewish and of the Christian Church. Hence Christ said, with respect to the former, which was not yet rejected, All therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works, do ye not: for they say the truth, and do not practise what they require of others. If the heads of the Catholic Church should be equally immoral, their true doctrine must not therefore be despised, lest Christ and his Father be at the same time despised. For this is the express admonition of our heavenly lawgiver, hear the Church: (Matthew 17:17,) and this he does not require without giving us a full assurance, that we may do it without fear of being led astray. The sole command of God implies as much, if he had said no more. For can he order us to sin? The pretended reformers, who blushed not to make this blasphemous assertion, might easily swallow down the other, respecting the defection and fallibility of the whole Church; and might even believe, that the whole world had been drowned in abominable idolatry for eight hundred years and more. (Hom. on the peril of idolat. p. 3.) How much more they do not determine, lest they should be forced to tell when the religion of the Catholics began, and that they will never do without dating from Christ and the apostles, the foundations of the only true Church. (Haydock)
Buxtorf
The Jews had such a respect for the decisions of their Rabbins, in consequence of this command of God, that some hesitate not to assert, that if one of them should declare that the left hand was the right, they would believe him; and they condemn the refractory to most grievous torments in hell. (Buxtorf., Syn. I.)
Calmet
We must shew the most profound submission to the decrees of the Church. (Calmet)
Haydock
Yet we are not bound to assent to the decisions of every teacher. Only, when the Church speaks, we must not refuse to obey, nor pretend to appoint ourselves judges of what she teaches. A private doctor, however eminent, may fall into some absurdities, but the major part of the pastors of the Church, with the Pope at their head, never can. In vain have the records of nineteen centuries been ransacked, to find a single instance of such a general agreement in error. If the Synagogue passed a wicked sentence upon Jesus Christ, we must reflect that the forms here required (ver. 8,) were neglected; and it was then expiring, and giving place to a better covenant, as the prophets had foretold. Yet even in that sentence, which was so unjust on the part of Caiphas, St. John 11:51. acknowledges the truth of God. And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest, that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but to gather together in one the children of God that were dispersed. The Synagogue could claim submission no longer, after the great prophet had come to abrogate the law of fear, and to substitute that of love. Hence while he was there to teach himself, (Hebrews 1:2,) there was no danger of deception for the people. But the covenant which he has established is to last for ever: no prophet or lawgiver is promised to introduce any change, or greater perfection, so that no one can plead for an excuse of his rebellion, that the Church may deceive and pass an erroneous judgment; or, if he do, he must be cut off from the society of the faithful, by the spiritual sword; and, dying in that state, without the Church for his mother, he need never expect that God will acknowledge him for his son. See St. Cyprian, Unity of the Catholic Church. If an individual pastor should pass such a perverse sentence, the case would be very different. Yet, even in such trying cases, an humble conduct will be the best security and proof of innocence, and God will reward those who have suffered unjustly. (Haydock)
17:12
Calmet
And the decree. Some copies read with Sixtus V ex decreto, by etc., "decree," (Haydock) as if a lay-judge stood ready to put the sentence in execution. (Calmet)
Haydock
But there was no necessity of any farther judgment after the high priest had spoken, who is here declared the sovereign judge. (St. Cyprian, ep. 55.) Hebrew, "or to the judge." Amama ridicules his friend, Ant. a Dominis, for saying that the Hebrew and Vulgate have et decreto. (Haydock)
Calmet
The Rabbins inform us, that if any judge refused to acquiesce in the decision, and endeavoured to draw others into his opinion, in matters of consequence, (as those are where the guilty is ordered to be cut off,) he was to be strangled, on a festival day, at Jerusalem, that all the people hearing it might fear, ver. 13. (Selden, Syned. 3:3.) (Calmet)
17:13
Haydock
Pride. Hebrew, "do presumptuously," as the Protestants translate. How will they excuse their leaders, Luther, etc., and themselves, from this grievous charge? If the person, who presumed to assert that the leprosy had not infected some one, whom the priests condemned, (ver. 8,) could not escape death, shall we esteem those innocent whom the whole Church rejects? Hic niger est, hunc tu Romane caveto. (Horace) (Haydock)
17:14
Grotius
King. The Rabbins observe, that one was to be elected before the place for the temple was fixed upon, that the tribes might not contend about that honour. (Grotius)
God foresees that the people will insist upon having a king, and gives his consent, reserving to himself the choice, and appointing laws for him, that he may not forget that he is only the lieutenant of the most high. Yet God testified his displeasure, when the Israelites demanded a king, because they did it in a seditious manner, so as to reject the prophet Samuel, whom he had given them for a ruler, in whom they could discover no fault. (Calmet) (1 Kings 8:7., and 10:19.)
17:15
Menochius
Choose, as he did Saul, David, and Solomon, who succeeded to the throne of his father, though he was not the eldest son. (Menochius)
Calmet
Then the throne began to be hereditary, in virtue of God's promise to David. (Calmet)
Haydock
Brother. The Jews neglected this law, when they willingly recognized the authority of Herod, two years after the birth of Christ. See Genesis 49:10. (Haydock)
Menochius
A stranger might attempt to draw off the people from the service of the true God, and mutual love would not so easily subsist between them. (Menochius)
17:16
Calmet
Horses. Josue and David rendered the captured horses useless, (Josue 11:6., and 2 Kings 8:4,) and the judges rode on asses, Judges 10:4., and 12:14. Solomon began to keep some, and in his days Egypt was noted for the traffic of horses; though, after Sesostris had intersected the country with canals, they were more neglected. (Marsham, Canon. saec. xiii., and xiv.) God did not wish his people to engage in the tumults of war, nor would he permit their king to be puffed up with his own strength, Psalm 19:8., and 32:17. Philo says he would not have them to listen to any who might promise to conduct them to a better country, and thus teach them to lead a wandering life. (Calmet)
He precludes also the attempt to conquer Egypt. Hebrew, "he shall not make the people return to Egypt, in order that he may multiply horses," by their buying them for him in that country, 3 Kings 10:29.
Way. When the people proposed returning, God severely punished them, Numbers 14:5.
17:17
Worthington
Mind, and reign in his name. Hebrew, "and his heart turn not away" from the worship of the true God, as it happened to Solomon, and to many other kings, whom Moses seems to have had in view. Too great a number of wives would tend to perplex and enervate the king, and to eat up the treasures of his people. The Jewish lawyers allow the king only 18, and they say David and Roboam had that number. But the latter had moreover 60 concubines, (2 Paralipomenon 11:21,) and Solomon had many more. In effect, the number seems not to be restricted, and, what is very singular, the Rabbins allow all but the high priest and the king as many as they can keep, though the sages advise people to have no more than four, which seems to be the sentiment of the Mahometans. This liberty was taken by the Jews till the emperors restricted them, A.D. 593. (Selden, Uxor. 1:8, etc.) Plurality of wives was not formerly a sin, though Solomon offended by too great excess. (St. Augustine, q. 27.) (Worthington)
Calmet
Gold. Immense riches are seldom possessed even by kings, without the oppression of their subjects, and great danger of falling into extravagance. If David amassed so much gold, it was destined for the building of the temple. But Solomon laying on heavy taxes, alienated the hearts of his people, and gave occasion to the revolt of 10 tribes; and Ezechias brought on a severe chastisement by making a parade of his treasures to the ambassadors of the king of Babylon, 4 Kings 20:15. (Calmet)
17:18
Grotius
Of this law, perhaps from the 14th verse to the end of the chapter, (Haydock) or the whole Book of Deuteronomy, which contains an abridgment of the law, (Josue 8:32.; Menochius) or even the five books, which were formerly written without any division, and went under the name of the law. (Grotius; etc.)
Haydock
Hebrew seems favourable to this last opinion, (Calmet) "he shall write a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is kept by the priests," unless Moses might only require that he should have a copy of what he was then delivering. (Haydock)
Calmet
Some say that the king was obliged to take two copies, one of which he was to have always about him. It is not certain whether he was obliged to write himself, as Philo asserts, or another might do it for him. The diadem and the law were presented to Joas, when he ascended the throne, 2 Paralipomenon 23:11. (Calmet)
Calmet
If (Haydock) Josias had not seen a copy of the law before the 18th year of his reign, this precept must have been very ill observed, 4 Kings 22:11. (Calmet)
Haydock
But, very probably, that book, which Helcias discovered in the temple, was the autograph of Moses, and therefore made a deeper impression upon all who saw and heard it read, than if it had been read than if it had been only an ordinary copy. This copy might have been mislaid or secreted in those troublesome times; and then the high priest brought it to light again, he as well as the king and all the people, were filled with joy and amazement. (Haydock)
Morus
It was the custom of the Jews to present a copy of the law to their kings, when they first sat upon the throne; and hence, perhaps, they make a similar present to the Pope, when he goes to take possession of the Lateran church. (Morus.)
Calmet
They presented one to Innocent II when he made his entry into Paris, 1146, and another to king Louis the Fat, as Suger informs us. (Calmet)
Worthington
Priests. Temporal princes who desire to become virtuous and wise, will ever take the law of God at the priest's hands. (Worthington)
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Haydock
Law. Pious Christian emperors and kings have esteemed it their greatest glory and happiness to read and meditate on the holy commandments of God, in order to regulate their conduct, amid the various dangerous occupations of their station. (Haydock)
Calmet
Constantine the Great, Charlemagne, St. Stephen of Hungary, Alphonsus I of Spain, were noted for the zeal which they shewed in this particular. Alphonsus of Arragon, had read the Bible, with the Commentaries, 14 times over, and the great Alfred wrote all the New Testament twice over with his own hand. (Calmet)
Cath. Doct. by N. G
He had translated into English Saxon all or most of the Bible before 900, as king Athelstan did about 925. (Encyclopedia Britannica, Bible, etc.) Yet the Catholic Church never condemned this conduct of her children, as Protestants would insinuate. (Cath. Doct. by N. G.)
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Calmet
With pride. This is not expressed in Hebrew, but it is clearly (Haydock) implied. Humility is the most difficult virtue for a prince to practice, amid the flattery of his courtiers, and the splendour with which he is environed. See St. Augustine, City of God 5:24. (Calmet)
Menochius
His sons. Wicked kings seldom left a quiet possession of the throne to their heirs. (Menochius)
Calmet
David and his posterity reigned in succession, by an effect of the divine bounty. (Calmet)
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The host of heaven.... That is, the stars.
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If thou perceive, etc.... Here we see what authority God was pleased to give to the church guides of the Old Testament, in deciding, without appeal, all controversies relating to the law; promising that they should not err therein; and surely he has not done less for the church guides of the New Testament.
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8. If the iudgement be hard.] For a ful and assured decision of al controuersies, Supreme Iuge of controuersies. God here instituted to his people a supreme Tribunal, that in case inferior Iudges varied in iudgement, recourse might be had to the Councel of Priestes, where one chiefe Iudge, the High Priest, was appointed to geue sentence, and al others commanded to receiue and obey the same.
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9. vvho shal shevv the truth.] God so assisted this consistorie with his spirite of truth, that their sentence was infallible: though otherwise they might erre, Sentence of the Iewes consistorie infallible. either in life, or in priuate opinion. VVherfore, our Sauiour distinguishing betwen their publique doctrin, and their workes, taught the people, that for somuch as the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moyses chaire, and yet transgressed Gods commandmentes, euerie one should obserue and doe as they saide: but not doe according to their vvorkes. Mat. 23. And S. Iohn ascribeth the true sentence geuen by Caiphas in the councel, to his office of High Priest, saying: The high priest was chief Iudge. (Ioan. 11.) He said not this of him selfe, but being the high priest of that yeare, he prophecied that IESVS should die for the nation and to gather into one the children of God. VVhere the high priest by vertue and priuilege of his office, vttered the truth, which him selfe neither meant nor vnderstood. And this happened when the Law and Priesthood of the Iewes was to decline & geue place to Christs new ordinance, and therfore no doubt God euer directed the sentence of the high Priest: and most specially now Christ preserueth the Apostolique See from error Protestantes friuolous euasion. in faith, and in general decrees touching manners: yea though the chiefe visible Iudge were as wicked as Caiphas. And therfore the Protestantes euasion is friuolous, limiting the priests sentence to binde the subiectes, so long as he is English Bible. 1603. the true minister of God, and pronounceth according to his vvord. For except God assisted him, that he should pronounce according to his word, and so al men rest satisfied, submitting them selues to his sentence, the controuersie should be endles, and this consistorie nothing worth: but stil be new examinations, and new iudgementes, whether the former were according to Gods word or no.
In the councel of Priestes one supreme Iudge, which was the High Priest. v. 12.
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There were not manie presidentes at once, but in succession, one after an other.
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12. He that shal be proude.] This also conuinceth, that al were bound to Pride in priuate opinion punished with death. accept of the high priests sentence, the law condemning him of pride, that refused to obey the commandment of the Priest, vvhich at that time ministred to our Lord; and for his disobedience punishing him with death.
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Pluralitie of wiue is not here forbid; for king Dauid transgressed not this precept hauing more then one or two: but Salomon offended in multiplying manie wiues. S. Aug. q. 27. in Deut.
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Temporal good Princes take the law, and word of God, at the Priests handes.
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 14.8
… I may not sit in the presence of a presbyter; he, if I sin, may deliver me to Satan, “for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved.” Under the old law he who disobeyed the priests was put outside the camp and stoned by the people, or else he was beheaded and expiated his contempt with his blood.
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Theodotus † fl. AD 160 Excerpts of Theodotus 1
XIII. “By two and three witnesses every word is established.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.43
… But when “they found not the body (of the Lord Jesus),” “His sepulture was removed from the midst of them,” according to the prophecy of Isaiah. “Two angels however, appeared there.” For just so many honorary companions were required by the word of God, which usually prescribes “ two witnesses .”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence Against the Arians (Apologia Contra Arianos) 1.2
… But when my enemies also bear testimony in my favour and against themselves, declaring that the proceedings against me were a conspiracy, who is there that would not be ashamed to doubt any longer? The law requires that in the mouth of two or three witnesses
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 46.4
Who was ever known to have the hardihood, in the heart of a city and at high noon, to mark figures of filthy swine upon a royal statue? He who has set at naught a marriage of man, with no mercy shewn him, in the presence of two or three witnesses, dies.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 2
… 12 ) who, when his master was taken up, rent his mantle. And what say they? “This Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall thus come.” And, “Behold, two men stood by them.” ( Matt. xviii. 16 .) With good reason: for “in the mouth of two witnesses shall every word be established” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 33
This (James) was bishop, as they say, and therefore he speaks last, and herein is fulfilled that saying, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 2.24
… in all of which there is not a word of truth. When I heard this, I was stupefied. But one witness was not enough; even Cato was not believed on his unsupported evidence:
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 16
[3.] “Put away from among yourselves the wicked person.” He used an expression found in the Old Testament, (
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 69.8
… Fancying that they knew what is and what is not good taste they deck themselves out with finery and bodily adornments and give banquets which profess to be elegant: but all such attempts at dress and display are nastier than a beggar’s rags. As regards the obligation of priests to be teachers we bare have the precepts of the old Law
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 48.2
… As men must keep the way carefully in walking between fire and water, so as to be neither burned nor drowned, so must we order our steps between the pinnacle of pride and the whirlpool of indolence; as it is written, “declining neither to the right hand nor to the left.”
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 39.7
… and in order that the Lord may pardon you, that you should not depart from the priests of the Lord, since it is written, “And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest or unto the judge that shall be in those days, even that man shall die.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 54.4
… In Deuteronomy the Lord God speaks, saying, “And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest or to the judge, whosoever he shall be in those days, that man shall die; and all the people, when they hear, shall fear, and shall do no more wickedly.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 61.4
… of life or of salvation is still open to them, if they have refused to obey the bishops and priests, since in Deuteronomy the Lord God says, “And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest or judge, whosoever he shall be in those days, that man shall die, and all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 64.1
… Inasmuch as the Lord God says in Deuteronomy, “And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest or the judge, whoever he shall be in those days, that man shall die; and all the people, when they hear, shall fear, and shall no more do impiously.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 68.3
… Although the Lord God says in Deuteronomy, “And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priests or unto the judge who shall be in those days, even that man shall die; and all the people, when they hear, shall fear, and do no more presumptuously.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 7
… for the Temple also Christ destroyed. But if thou wilt see in words as well how the Law is done away in Christ, hear the Lawgiver himself speaking thus; “A Prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary 16
… As to race, all Jews are called brethren of one another, as in Deuteronomy, “If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.” And in the same book,
Pseudo-Clement The Recognitions of Clement 1.36
… by Him, namely, concerning whom he said himself, ‘A prophet shall the Lord your God raise unto you, whom ye shall hear even as myself, according to all things which He shall say to you. Whosoever shall not hear that prophet, his soul shall be cut off from his people.
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2. WITHIN ONE OF THY GATES, — that is, of thy cities. A similar synecdoche occurred in the preceding chapter, verse 18.
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3. AND WORSHIP ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN, — that is, worship any stars whatsoever, which are as it were soldiers serving God, and fighting for Him when need be; see what is said Num. IV, 3. The cause of the worship of the stars was, first, their light and beauty; secondly, that they influence these lower things, and vivify and nourish them; thirdly, that they thought them to be animate; fourthly, that some natural philosophers teach that man is the work of the stars: for man, when he is conceived and generated, receives from the Sun his spirit, from the Moon his body, from Mars his blood, from Mercury his wit, from Jupiter his desire, from Venus his lust, from Saturn his humor.
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6. IN THE MOUTH OF TWO, — that is, as the Chaldean paraphrase says, by the word of two or three witnesses let the guilty be convicted and put to death.
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7. THE HANDS OF THE WITNESSES SHALL BE FIRST UPON HIM TO KILL HIM. — In Hebrew, the hands of the witnesses shall be first against him, to kill him, that is, they shall first cast a stone at him. Morally, note here how great a crime apostasy is, and how much God avenges it, and wishes it to be avenged by us. Note is the punishment of Lucifer, of Adam, of Solomon, of Julian. Hear what follows.
Example: The King of the Bulgarians and Apostasy In the year of our Lord 868, the fierce and warlike nation of the Bulgarians, having abandoned idols and renounced the superstitions of the Gentiles, believed in Christ for the most part; and, washed in the saving water of baptism, passed over into the Christian religion. They relate, however, of the king of this nation, that with such perfection he began to live after receiving the grace of baptism, that by day, clothed in royal ornaments, he would go forth before the people; but by night, entering the church secretly in sacred vestments, prostrate upon the pavement of the basilica itself, with only a hair shirt spread beneath him, he would lie in prayer. Not long after, moved by divine inspiration, he laid down his earthly kingdom, that he might reign eternally in heaven with Christ. And he ordained in his place as king his elder son, laid aside the hair of his head, and taking on the habit of holy conversation became a monk, intent day and night on almsgiving, vigils and prayers. Meanwhile his son, whom he had made king, departing far from his father's intention and conduct, began to practice plunder, to indulge in drunkenness, feasting and lust, and with all his might to recall the newly baptized people to the rites of paganism. When his father heard this, inflamed with great zeal, he laid aside his sacred habit, resumed the belt of warfare, and clothed in royal dress, associating with himself those who fear God, pursued his son, whom he soon captured without difficulty, put out his eyes, and cast him into prison; then, having convoked his entire kingdom, he made his younger son king, threatening before all that he would suffer the like if he deviated in any way from right Christianity. These things thus accomplished, laying aside the belt and resuming the habit of holy religion, he entered a monastery and spent the remainder of his present life in holy conversation. Thus Regino, book VI, and Martin of Poland, book IV of the Chronicles.
Example: The Apostasy of Carloman In the year of Our Lord 870, Carloman, while still a boy, was by his father's command tonsured and made a cleric: then as time went on, to the office of deacon, although unwilling and forced in the presence of his father he was ordained, and he read the Gospel publicly, and served the Pontiff celebrating Mass according to custom. After this, falling away into apostasy from ecclesiastical religion, casting aside and wickedly spurning the grace which had been given to him through the laying on of hands, he became another Julian. For having gathered together no small band of robbers, he began to lay waste the churches of God, to attack those things which make for peace, to plunder all things, and to perpetrate unheard-of evils. For which things, when he had been frequently corrected by his father, yet the wickedness accepted in no way ceased, finally by his father's command his eyes are torn out, justly losing by God's judgment the outward light, he who had driven from his breast the inward light, which is Christ: sent into outer darkness, he who of his own will had given himself over to inner darkness. And being deprived of sight, he went to his uncle Louis, miserably bewailing before him the sorrows and calamities of his miseries. He, moved by compassion, granted to him the monastery of St. Willebrord at Abernach for the support of his present life, where not long after he died and was buried. Thus Regino, book II of the Chronicles, in the year 870.
Example: Catherine of Sweden Hear also that Saints wavering in a light matter are punished. Catherine of Sweden, while she was with her mother in Rome, was ordered at one time on account of the wickedness of the impious to remain at home, while her mother went to the stations and Indulgences. Meanwhile Satan is present, and began to cast bitter thoughts into her soul, as if while others were seeking the gain of their souls, she herself like a brute animal was shut off from all spiritual goods. He added to this that her relatives, brothers and sisters in her native land served God with the greatest tranquility, while she herself led a wretched life: it would therefore be better not to have been brought into the light at all than to lead this kind of idle life. This was a vehement temptation in the mind of the holy virgin, and so filled her with grief and disturbance that when her mother returned and seriously commanded her to declare the cause of such great sorrow, she simply answered that she could not speak. And certainly by now her face had grown pale like that of the dead, her eyes were turned aside: so troublesome was the demon in casting in this kind of most importunate thoughts. Moreover, on the following night in sleep she seemed to see the whole world as if inflamed, and herself placed in the midst of fire in a certain small plain, and plainly despairing that she could be snatched from those flames: then the most blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her, whom she besought with these words: Help me, my dearest Lady; and she answering: And in what way can I help you, who with such tender longing for your native land, forgetful of your vow, are obedient neither to God, nor to me, nor to your mother, nor to your spiritual father; and she offering herself to carry out all things which the Mother of God should command; and then at last the Mother of God saying: Obey therefore your mother and your spiritual father. Awakened from this, Catherine quickly went to her mother with all humility, sought pardon for her inconstancy, and promised that she would thereafter willingly remain in exile with her even unto death. Thus it is found in the Life of St. Catherine, chapter VI, which is extant in Surius, March 22.
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8. IF YOU PERCEIVE THAT A DIFFICULT AND AMBIGUOUS JUDGMENT IS BEFORE YOU BETWEEN BLOOD AND BLOOD. — "Blood" here is called by metonymy homicide, that is to say, if the homicide be ambiguous, that is, the quality of the homicide, some asserting it to be voluntary or premeditated, and therefore to be punished by death; others excusing it, because it was committed by chance or in ignorance, and therefore the homicide has the right of asylum in the cities of refuge. Thus Lyra, Abulensis and others. So between cause and cause, that is, if the cause and dispute be ambiguous, some saying it to be just, others unjust; so between leprosy and leprosy (for thus it must be read with the Romans, Hebrews, Chaldeans and Greeks, not however between leprosy and non-leprosy, as the Plantin editions read), namely some asserting it to be clean leprosy or most clean, which does not exclude a man from sacred things; others however saying it to be unclean leprosy, and excluding from sacred things.
Note: Legal cases and questions were twofold: namely first, they were sacred and ceremonial, such as a question concerning faith, religion and ceremonies: such was the controversy concerning leprosy: these pertained to priests, as is evident of itself; secondly, they were judicial, such as concerning blood and homicide: these pertained to the lay magistrate, and in each city there were judges appointed to judge them, as was said in the preceding chapter, verse 18; who if they could not settle the dispute, were bound to refer it to Jerusalem to the priests and to the pontiff, who decided it. For all these things were to be decided from the law either judicial or ceremonial; but the interpreter of the law was the pontiff, concerning whom more presently: whence it follows that the pontiff was then the supreme judge of controversies, even legal ones.
ASCEND TO THE PLACE WHICH THE LORD SHALL CHOOSE. — Ascend to Jerusalem, where the temple is, in which the Lord dwells. Thus Abulensis. God willed that the supreme authority of judgment be in the place of the tabernacle or temple, because this place was God's, that is, of divine presidency. God therefore presiding in the temple illuminated and directed the priests and judges dwelling there, lest they err in judgment, but pronounced a just, equitable and true sentence. Again, justice is a holy and inviolable thing: hence God willed judges to reside in a sacred place. Archytas said that a judge is an altar; for to both do those who are injured by wrong have recourse, signifying that judges ought to be such as to be a protection to the oppressed, and like a sacred asylum: Aristotle is witness, lib. III Rhetor.
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9. AND THOU SHALT COME TO THE PRIESTS OF THE LEVITICAL RACE, AND TO THE JUDGE. — Some, as Lyra and Sigonius, lib. VI De Republ. Hebraeorum, cap. VII, take these separately, as if to say: If there be doubt about sacred matters, consult the priests: but if about civil matters, consult the secular judge, so that it be taken for or. But this cannot be said, because God does not will here to have recourse to the priests separately, but simply and absolutely in all doubtful cases, which ought to be decided from the divine law. For the interpretation of the law pertained to the priests, and especially to the high priest, who was the hierarch and prince of the priests; this indeed is what he adds: "And thou shalt do whatsoever they shall say that preside in the place which the Lord shall choose, and shall teach thee according to his law."
Secondly, because that priests were judges, not only in sacred cases, but also in civil ones, indeed in the case of murder, Ezekiel expressly teaches, cap. XLIV, vers. 24. The same is evident here, cap. XXI, 8, where Moses, speaking of secret murder, says: "Let them come to the priests, etc., and according to their word every matter, and whatever is clean or unclean, shall be judged." Josephus teaches the same, lib. II Contra Apionem, when he says: "The priests were appointed by Moses as overseers of all things, judges of controversies, and punishers of the condemned." And Philo, lib. III De Vita Mosis, teaches that Moses by the counsel of the priests who customarily sat with him condemned to death a man gathering wood on the sabbath; concerning which Numer. XV, 35. Indeed Abulensis teaches that the high priest is called here judge, because he alone in the council, having heard the judgment of others, was accustomed to pronounce the sentence of death. Thus Caiaphas in the council pronounced the sentence of death against Christ, Joan. XI, 50. Thus Ananias the high priest in the council commanded Paul to be struck, Act. XXIII, 2. Thus Ananus the high priest executed James the brother of the Lord condemned to death in the council, as Josephus testifies, lib. XX, cap. VIII. Thus another high priest condemned St. Matthias, as a blasphemer, to death in the council, saying: "It is written: Whosoever shall blaspheme the name of the Lord, shall surely be put to death," if we believe the acts of St. Matthias. Thirdly, because vers. 12 it is expressly said: "Whosoever shall be proud, refusing to obey the command of the priest, etc., shall die;" this command therefore was the judicial and definitive sentence of the high priest.
In the same manner among the Gentiles, by common and natural consensus, all things were governed by the authority of priests, even those which pertained to political rule, as Strabo testifies concerning the Ethiopians, book XVII; concerning the Egyptians, Aelianus, book XIV of Miscellaneous Histories, chapter XXXIV; concerning the Persians and their Magi, Eusebius in the Chronology, Agathias, book II, and others; concerning the Athenians and the Areopagites, Josephus, book XIV of Antiquities, chapter XIX; concerning the Gauls and the Druids, Caesar, book VI of the Gallic War; concerning the Romans and their augurs, Cicero, book II of the Laws, and others. If therefore (as Socrates says in Xenophon, book IV of the Sayings of Socrates) what has been observed by all nations is sanctioned by nothing other than God, it must be said that assuredly, even if no law concerning these things appeared in the divine Scriptures, nevertheless the judicial power of priests, granted by divine instinct and right, would be sufficiently proved from what has already been said. Hence also at the beginning of the Church, Bishops were judges of causes, even civil ones, which were agitated among Christians, as St. Paul teaches, I Corinthians VI, 5. I say therefore: God sanctions here that lesser judges of towns in causes both sacred and political, namely in doubtful matters, not so much of fact as of law and divine law, should have recourse to priests and to the pontiff, who, explaining the meaning and mind of the law, should decide the cause according to it. For the laws were prescribed by God not only ceremonial but also judicial, which pertained to the just governance of the commonwealth and polity, and were recorded in these sacred books, whose explanation therefore pertained to the priests. It was otherwise in causes and doubts of fact, or merely civil, namely such as ought to be resolved not from the law of God, but from right, either of nature or positive human and rational right; in these indeed there was no need to consult priests (they could however, and often in fact did consult them), but rather either the wise, or judges and secular princes, such as were Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, etc. Hence it follows that by judge here is understood either the pontiff, as Vatablus wishes, or his vicar, as Abulensis wishes; or rather (as is gathered from verse 12) a secular judge, says Cajetan, Lyra, Sigonius and Oleaster, who ought to follow the sentence of the priests and pontiff, and it was only his part to approve and execute it: whence here it is said together: "Thou shalt come to the priests and to the judge," as if the judgment of the priests and the judge were one and the same; and because otherwise the judge could have disagreed with the sentence of the priests, the litigants could have followed the sentence of the judge, abandoning the sentence of the priests and pontiff, which however is here forbidden. Again, if the pontiff and judge disagreed with each other, which was easy and likely, the dispute could not have been terminated and decided. Such lay judges, namely heads of families, King Jehoshaphat joined with the priests in judging, as appears in II Chronicles XIX, 8. I except Samuel, and if there were any others who were judges and also prophets. For these by the gift of prophecy governed and judged the people, whence they had no need of the counsel of priests.
Whence the Hebrews refer this verse to the council of the Sanhedrin, which was the supreme, in the manner of a parliament, and judged concerning the king, the law and the prophet, and to it was the final appeal. Moreover the Sanhedrin consisted of seventy men, who were taken both from the priests and from the chief men of each tribe, as if those are understood here by the judge, that is judges, as the Chaldean translates it, as if to say: Thou shalt come to the priests and to the judges, that is to the council of the Sanhedrin, in which are priests and secular judges, over all of whom the High Pontiff presides. See Sigonius, book VI of the Republic of the Hebrews, chapter VII.
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10. AND THOU SHALT DO WHATSOEVER THEY THAT PRESIDE IN THE PLACE WHICH THE LORD SHALL CHOOSE SHALL SAY UNTO THEE. — In Hebrew it is, and thou shalt do according to the word which they shall announce to thee from that place which Jehovah shall choose. Which Cajetan thus understands, not as if the law here commands in ambiguous matters to consult the oracle of God, residing in the mercy seat. But the following words signify that these things pertain not to the oracle, but to the knowledge and interpretation of the priests; for it follows: "And they shall teach thee according to his law." I confess however that if the pontiffs could not resolve these doubts from the law and from their knowledge, they had recourse to and consulted the oracle of God, as appears in Numbers XXVII, 21.
10 and 11. AND THEY SHALL TEACH THEE ACCORDING TO HIS LAW. — Not as if one should acquiesce in the judgment of the priests on this condition, namely, if it should seem to the litigant or to any other person to be according to the law of God: for in that case this judgment of theirs would be vain and empty, and God would command in vain that recourse be had to them. For always the party condemned by the priests could have objected that they did not judge according to the law, and appealed from them to the law itself, and consequently another judge and censor would have had to be appointed, who would judge whether the priests judged rightly according to the law or not. Again, concerning this censor it could have been doubted whether he had rendered a true judgment, and consequently that judgment would have had to be examined again by another, and this again by another, and this again by yet another and another; thus there would have been an appeal and a progression to infinity, and causes would have remained undecided, and lawsuits would have been eternal and immortal. These words therefore are to be taken assertively, as if to say: Subjects ought to acquiesce and presuppose that the judgment given by the priest and pontiff has been given according to the law of God; for, as Malachi says, chapter II, verse 7: "The lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth, because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts;" understand, unless the contrary be manifestly seen, namely, that the pontiff judges expressly against the law and perverts the law; then indeed one ought to obey God's law, not him. This sense is clear from the Hebrew, Chaldean and Septuagint, which have it thus: Thou shalt do according to what they shall teach thee at the mouth of the law (that is, according to the law, from the law) which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall say to thee, thou shalt do.
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12. UNWILLING TO OBEY THE COMMAND OF THE PRIEST (PONTIFF), WHO AT THAT TIME MINISTERETH TO THE LORD, — who namely at that time fulfills the office of pontiff. BY THE DECREE OF THE JUDGE HE SHALL DIE. — For "by," correct to "and," as the Roman texts correct it; the Hebrew, Chaldean and Greek texts however have "or" for "and," as if to say: Whoever shall be unwilling to obey the command of the pontiff, or the decree of the judge, shall die. I say therefore that the "or" which is in the Hebrew can be taken for "and," both here and elsewhere, as in Proverbs XXX, 31; Leviticus IV, 23 and 28; Numbers XXV, 6. For these words correspond to and must be referred back to verse 9: for whom he commands to be approached there, he commands to be heard here and to be obeyed; but verse 9 says thus: "And thou shalt come to the priests and to the judge," where all Hebrew, Greek and Latin codices have "and," not "or": therefore the "or" which is here in the Hebrew should likewise be taken for "and," as if to say: Whoever is unwilling to obey the decree of the pontiff or judge, let him die; for the judgment of the pontiff and judge was the same, either because the pontiff and judge were then the same person, as Vatablus and Abulensis wish; or because the secular judge was bound to conform his sentence to the sentence and decree of the priests and pontiff, and to follow and execute it, as I said in verse 9.
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15. CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF BRETHREN, — namely of thy people, of the Hebrews.
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16. HE SHALL NOT MULTIPLY HORSES TO HIMSELF, — both lest he trust in war in the multitude and strength of horses, because "a horse is a deceitful thing for safety, and in the abundance of his strength he shall not be saved," Psalm XXXII; and lest he be lifted up into pride, and walk with great pomp and display, and thus wish to dominate the people, and impose upon them heavy burdens and tributes to sustain his pomp, as Solomon did and sinned, who had forty thousand horses in stables, and twelve thousand chariots and horsemen. Whence Basil. Hence the pious kings and princes of the Jews in wars made almost no use of cavalry, scarcely using horsemen, as is evident in the Maccabees: but the impious kings made great use of cavalry, as is evident concerning Joram, II Paralipomenon chapter XXI, verse 9.
NOR SHALL HE BRING BACK THE PEOPLE INTO EGYPT, SUPPORTED BY A MULTITUDE OF HORSEMEN, — namely so that he might make war on the Egyptians and wish to occupy Egypt. The Hebrew texts have: he shall not cause the people to return into Egypt, so that he might multiply horses, that is, so that he might buy many horses for himself in Egypt, say Vatablus, Cajetan and others. But for this it was not necessary to bring the people back into Egypt, but it would have sufficed to send two or three merchants there to buy horses; wherefore our Interpreter wisely took that "so that he might multiply horses" in such a way as if to say: So that by multiplying horses and being supported and made proud by a multitude of horsemen, he might dare to invade Egypt and bring the people back there. Hence some think that the Jews were forbidden the use of horses; whence Oriolanus in his notes on the book of the Maccabees thinks the Jews never used horses, but only asses. But it is more true that not horses, but only a multitude of horses, was forbidden to the Jews, both here and in Psalm LXXV, 7, and Isaiah II, 8, as St. Jerome and Procopius expressly teach there.
We read of Plato in his apophthegms that when he once mounted a horse, he immediately dismounted, saying he feared lest he be seized by hippotypia, that is, equestrian pride. For the horse is a proud animal, and to ride has something lofty and magnificent about it. For this reason therefore God did not wish the king of his people to multiply horses; but rather to say with David, Psalm XIX, 8: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God."
ESPECIALLY SINCE THE LORD HAS COMMANDED YOU THAT YOU RETURN NOT BY THE SAME WAY. — When and where the Lord commanded this is written nowhere. But He commanded that they should not return by the same way, namely that which leads into Egypt, partly because the Hebrews were prone to the vices and customs of the Egyptians; partly lest, seeing Egypt fertile from the inundation of the Nile, they should make light of the liberation of God, who had led them out of that most wretched servitude.
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17. HE SHALL NOT HAVE MANY WIVES, WHICH MAY ALLURE HIS HEART. — In Hebrew it is, that his heart may not turn away, namely from the law of God. Hence we understand, says St. Augustine, Questions XXVI, and Rabanus, that it was then permitted to kings to have more wives than one, as David had; but not many, as Solomon had, and this lest by multiplying them, they should at length come to foreign women, who would lead them to idols, as happened to Solomon. Secondly, lest the people, imitating their kings in luxury and lusts, should become dissolute; for the whole world is fashioned according to the example of the king, and as Pindar says: The king is the genius and character of all. And another: The king is the heart of the people. Thus when Convalle reigned piously among the Scots, religion and virtue flourished wonderfully among them: so much so that St. Columban crossed over from Ireland to Scotland to see it, and returning, when asked what miracles he had seen there, answered: "I saw one like all, namely King Convalle, who amid delights and incitements to sin, contended with Monks and Bishops concerning holiness; for which reason he is so revered by his people, that they neither do injury to others, nor dare to speak anything sinister concerning the king himself. Whence it came to pass that the virtue of the king restrained that fierce people from their accustomed crimes and seditions more than his authority itself." Thus Hector Boethius relates it, History of Scotland, book IX. Alphonsus, king of Aragon, when his men were disputing concerning the duties of kings, and concerning their and their kingdoms' happiness, said: St. Augustine expressed it most excellently in these words: "Kings and kingdoms will be happy if, first, they rule justly; secondly, if amid the tongues of those who honor them sublimely, and the services of those who salute them most humbly, they are not exalted, but remember themselves to be men; thirdly, if they make their power the handmaid of God's worship, chiefly to be extended; fourthly, if they fear, love and worship God; fifthly, if they love more that kingdom where they do not fear to have partners; sixthly, if they avenge slowly, forgive easily; seventhly, if they exercise that same vengeance for the necessity of ruling and protecting the commonwealth, not for satisfying the hatreds of enmities; eighthly, if they grant that same pardon not unto the impunity of iniquity, but unto the hope of correction; ninthly, if what they are often forced to decree harshly, they compensate with the gentleness of mercy, and the largesse of benefits; tenthly, if luxury is so much more chaste, as it could be more free; eleventhly, if they prefer to rule over lusts rather than over any peoples; twelfthly, if they do all these things not for the ardor of vain glory, but for the love of eternal happiness; thirteenthly, if for their sins they do not neglect to offer to their true God the sacrifice of humility, and compassion, and prayer. Such Christian Kings and Emperors we shall call happy, and likewise their kingdoms." Thus the Panormitanus in the Life of Alphonsus.
NOR IMMENSE WEIGHTS OF SILVER AND GOLD. — Namely lest the king, from greed for gold and riches, should despoil his subjects, and lest from riches he should become dissolute in pride and luxury: in which Solomon also sinned, pressing the people with excessive tributes for his luxury, III Kings XII, 4. Let kings hear him confessing his own vanity: "I gathered together," he says, "silver and gold, and the substance of kings and provinces," etc. "and when I turned myself to all the works that my hands had wrought, and to the labors wherein I had fruitlessly toiled, I saw in all things vanity and vexation of spirit, and that nothing remaineth under the sun." Eccles. II, 8 and 11. The Emperor Trajan called his treasury a spleen, because its excessive enlargement is a detriment to the subjects and people, from whom the money of the treasury is exacted: for as the spleen grows and swells, the other organs and members waste away.
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18. HE SHALL WRITE (SHALL CAUSE TO BE WRITTEN) FOR HIMSELF A COPY OF DEUTERONOMY, etc. AND HE SHALL READ IT ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE. — Not that he is bound to read it continually or daily; but let him read it so often that he may be mindful of those things which are written in Deuteronomy.
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19. THAT HE MAY LEARN TO FEAR THE LORD. — For Deuteronomy inculcates this fear of God more than Exodus or Leviticus; for Deuteronomy is a burning and perpetual exhortation of Moses, inciting the Hebrews to the worship of God. Thus Abulensis. Let princes also note this. The kings of Judah sinned in this matter, and therefore lost their kingdom: whence Hilkiah, finding Deuteronomy cast aside in a corner, brought it to Josiah, who received it with great piety, read it and fulfilled it, and thus restored the commonwealth of the Hebrews with religion, as is evident from IV Kings XXII and following. On the contrary, Jeroboam, Baasha, Jehu and other kings of Israel lost the empire which they had received from God, on account of their neglect of the true religion of God, and did not propagate it beyond the third or fourth heir. Thus the Emperor Constantine said: "The dignity and extent of the Roman Empire has true piety as its source and root." Thus David describes the image of a pious and good prince in Psalm LXXI and CI. Likewise Holy Scripture in David in II Kings VII, in Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and Josiah in the books of Kings. Truly remarkable was the voice of the Emperor Constantine, who said to the Bishops of his age: "You within the Church, I outside the Church am appointed by God as Bishop," as Eusebius relates, lib. IV of his Life, cap. XXIV. But his father, the Emperor Constantius, made Christians, who had always freely professed the faith, his attendants and guardians of the kingdom, casting out all apostates and profane men, saying that such ought to be held as chief and faithful friends, and esteemed more than vast treasures. Thus Eusebius, lib. I of the Life of Constantius, cap. XI. Finally, the Emperor Justinian, creating Tiberius Caesar and investing him with the purple, said to him: "Honor God and His Church, once your mistress and lady, but now your mother; know who you were before, and who you are made today: love the poor especially, and let almsgiving not be lacking in you." Thus Nicephorus, lib. XVII, cap. XL.
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20. NEITHER SHALL HIS HEART BE LIFTED UP IN PRIDE, ABOVE HIS BRETHREN, — namely above his nation, above the Hebrews, that is to say, the Hebrews by nation and descent are the brethren of the king: therefore the king shall not carry himself insolently above them, as if he thought they were bound by the laws of Deuteronomy, but he himself above them; whence it follows: "Neither shall he turn aside to the right hand or to the left," namely from the precept, as the Hebrew has it; but let him walk in the straight way of the law: and thus he shall obtain the reward from God, "that he and his sons may reign for a long time." Such a king and exemplar of kings was Jehoshaphat, of whom Damascenus in the Life of Barlaam and Josaphat writes thus: "He held it as established that this is the first and most excellent of all royal duties, namely to instruct men in the fear of God and the cultivation of justice; which he himself also did, preparing himself, namely to hold in check the perturbations of the mind in ruling, and admonishing his subjects, and like the best helmsman diligently holding the helm of justice. For this is truly the law and norm of true kingship, namely to command pleasures and to rule over them, as he himself also did. For he did not in any way exalt himself on account of the nobility of his ancestors, nor on account of the royal glory in which he dwelt (since we all have clay as the author of our race, and of the same clay both poor and rich are we), but continually casting his mind into the abyss of humility, and embracing in his mind and thought the future beatitude, he considered himself a sojourner here: but he held that those things were his own, which he would enjoy after the pilgrimage of this life."
The Wisdom of the Gentiles concerning Kingdom Hear also, O Gentiles. Cato said, "It is a most evil thing for a prince who cannot govern himself." And Agesilaus gloried in this, that he was surpassed by no one in laboring, and that he commanded himself more than his subjects. Whenever he wished something to be done quickly by his soldiers, he himself did it first in the sight of all. The same man, understanding that the Thasians had decreed temples and divine honors for him on account of the benefits he had conferred upon them, asked the ambassadors whether their city could convert men into gods; when they affirmed it, he said: "Come then, first make yourselves gods; when you have done that, I will believe you, and will believe that you can also change me into a god by your power." When dying, he commanded that no image or monument of himself be made: "For if anything," he said, "has been done gloriously by me, that will be a monument for me; but if not, not even all the statues, which are the works of illiberal men, will procure me a name." Thus Plutarch in the Lives of the Lacedaemonians. Beautifully Seneca, in the second Tragedy: A king is not made by wealth, not by the color of Tyrian cloth: a king is he who has put away fear, and the dire evils of the heart. Whom neither unbridled ambition, nor the never-stable favor of the fickle multitude moves: he who, placed safely on high, sees all things beneath him. And Horace, Ode 2, Book II: You reign more widely by mastering your greedy spirit, than if you joined Libya to the distant Pillars of Hercules, and both Carthaginians served one master. "A good and holy prince is an image of God, and an animated image of God on earth," says Menander. Nerva was so good a prince that he said he had done nothing by which he could not, having laid down his power, live safely as a private citizen, says Dio. Hence Solon said: "Command, after you have first learned to obey. For when you have learned to obey a king, you will know how to reign." Agesilaus, king of the Lacedaemonians, said that he held the principate not for himself, but for the republic and its allies and friends. Agathon said: A prince should remember first, that he commands men; secondly, that he commands according to laws; thirdly, that he will not always command. Cyrus thought that empire suited no one except one who was better than his subjects, says Xenophon, Book VIII of the Education of Cyrus. The same man said that a good prince and magistrate is a law that sees: for he who can see and punish one who neglects the law. Let princes note that saying of Seneca, Tragedy 3: "He who wishes to be loved, let him reign with a gentle hand." Again that saying of Ammianus Marcellinus, Book XXX: "For one ruling an empire, all excess, like sheer cliffs, must be avoided." "Vespasian," says Tacitus, Book II, "was accustomed to lead the army keenly, to choose a place for camp, by night and day in counsel, and, if the matter required, to resist the enemy by hand, with food by chance, in dress and appearance scarcely differing from a common soldier: altogether, if avarice had been absent, equal to the ancient commanders." "The precept of the wise men of the Indians is, that a Prince, the more sublime his nature is, the more human he shows himself to his inferiors, will be most dear to the people," says Nicephorus Gregoras, Book VI of the History.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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… military service as an image of man's life on earth, in struggle with his own passions and with the seductions of the external world (Job 7:1; 14:17; II Cor. 10:4; I Tim. 1:18; Jas. 4:1; I Pet. 2:11), and compares the heavenly hierarchies to armed hosts (Deut. 17:3; II Par. 33:3; Isa. 24:21; Jer. 8:7; Luke 3:13; Acts 7:42).
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… In the Law it is prescribed for idolatry (Deut. 13, 10; 17, 5), for sacrifices to Moloch (Lev. 20, 2), for the false prophet (Deut.
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From the office, entrusted to the priests, of adapting the t. to life (Deut. 17:8-12, 18; Jer. 2:8; 18:18; Ezek. 7:26; 22:26; Hos. 4:6) derived the oral t., connected with the activity of Ezra (5th century), and from the very beginning of Pharisaism (2nd century B.C.) …
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The sense of "law," as ancient as that of "directive" and of "teaching," since the t. implied an obligation for the one who received it (Deut. 17, 11: "he shall act according to the t. [directive] that they shall give you, both the Levitical priests and the tribunal"; 24, 8: "execute all that the Levitical priests teach you [jōrā]"; …
17:14
… Let these suffice as examples: Deut. 17, 14-20 (law of the king: cf. I Sam. 8, especially vv. 6-9, 18 and I Sam. 10, 25, according to which the "statute of the kingdom" was written by Samuel); Ex. 16, 35 (which, if it is by Moses, …
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DEUTERONOMY. — Fifth book of the Pentateuch, called by the Hebrews, from its opening words, 'ēlēh had-dēbhārīm ("these are the words") or had-dēbhārīm ("the words"), and by the Septuagint δευτερο-νόμιον ("second law"); cf. Deut. 17:18: miš-nēh hat-tōrāh ("repetition of the Law").
Moses (Mōšeh, Μω[θ]σῆς, Vulg. MoySES, Ancient Latin Moses)
… He made a general revision of all the legislation promulgated from Sinai to Kadesh, updating and completing it, in a series of discourses that were written down (Deut. 17, 18; 25, 58, etc.) and deposited near the Ark (ibid. 31, 26) and form the content of Deuteronomy (v.); he renewed the covenant (ibid. 28, 69), ordered the periodic reading of the Law; …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.